Boolading, Western Australia
Boolading is a location along the Coalfields Highway between Darkan and Collie in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.
| Boolading Western Australia | |
|---|---|
  Boolading | |
| Coordinates | 33°21′S 116°38′E |
| Established | 1909 |
| Postcode(s) | 6392 |
| Elevation | 281 m (922 ft) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of West Arthur |
| State electorate(s) | Roe |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
The name is Aboriginal in origin but the meaning is unknown. The word Boola means plenty or abundance of in the local dialect.[1] Boolading began as a railway siding when Western Australian Government Railways constructed it in 1907. The townsite was gazetted in 1909 and the name was suggested by the district surveyor after a property owned by an acquaintance of his, William Gibbs. It was initially spelt Bulading; the spelling was changed in 1955.
Located along the Collie River, the area is now good pastureland and suitable for a variety of agricultural practices.
Land was first opened for selection in the area in 1894. A water-hole known as Boolading is also near the location; this was the site chosen by the first settlers in the area, William and Sarah-Ann Gibbs, who settled in 1874 and built a split slab home, which was replaced in 1899 by a mud brick home that still stands today. The home was also used as a place for shooters to store skins until a buyer was found. Gibbs later became a property guide and helped survey the Collie - Narrogin railway line.[2]
A telephone exchange operated in Boolading from 1925 until 1952.
References
- Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names – B". Retrieved 8 February 2011.
- "Shire of West Arthur - Municipal heritage inventory". 1997. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.